It is native to southern California, at elevations of 100–1,600 metres (330–5,250 ft).

It is an uncommon member of the flora in rocky areas of the higher Mojave Desert mountains, and in the ecotone of the Peninsular Ranges and the Colorado Desert.

This fern produces frilly leaves up to about 30 centimeters long, each divided into segments which are subdivided, the ultimate segments just a few millimeters long and widely lance-shaped to oblong.

The leaf segments bear resin glands which exude a very sticky, clear fluid.

The leaf segments have curled edges along which are located the sori with their brown sporangia.